Species Conservation Program

Welcome to the home page for the species conservation program in the Rocky Mountain Region of the National Forest and Grassland System, USA.

An important part of the mission of the Forest Service is to maintain the diversity of plant and animal species on National Forest System lands. The National Forests and National Grasslands are very important to the persistence of many species native to the United States, including some species we share with other countries outside our borders.

The Species Conservation Program in the Rocky Mountain Region provides leadership to promote and coordinate positive actions that contribute to recovery of threatened and endangered species, and conservation of sensitive species and their habitats.

Emphasis is given to conservation of species through a multi-faceted approach involving conservation planning, habitat improvement, inventory and monitoring, coordination with other resource and use programs, visitor information and education, and other management actions.

To provide a sound scientific foundation for management, the Rocky Mountain Region has developed peer-reviewed conservation assessments for more than 200 featured plants and animals, as well as ecological assessments for terrestrial and aquatic/riparian/wetland ecosystems. A list of Sensitive Species designated by the Regional Forester is available.

Contact:

For more information about the species conservation program, contact Peter McDonald (peter.mcdonald@usda.gov, 303.275.5029).